Members of the Bromhead family involved with softball, from left Kyla, Tyarn, Tegan and Rebecca. Photo: Supplied/Bromhead family
Three generations of one family will feature with the Auckland women's side at the National Fastpitch Championships this week in Auckland.
Kyla Bromhead will be joined by her 19-year-old daughter Tyarn Bromhead-Lealu on the diamond as well as her older sister Rebecca.
In the dugout will be Kyla's younger sister Tegan as assistant coach and her mum Fran as manager.
The Bromhead sisters have been involved in softball since their childhood in Australia and Kyla says it's a "way of life" for the family who are chasing a national title after falling just short as beaten finalists in 2021.
Tyarn will play alongside her family for a second time but Kyla says she never pushed her daughters into the game.
"I sat back and let them decide if they wanted to play or not I knew it was a lifelong passion for me but I wanted them to find their own way."
Tyarn did find her way into the New Zealand side alongside Kyla and Rebecca a couple of years ago.
"Tyarn has truly earnt her selection with strong and consistent performances over the last two seasons in both her own age grade, and the Reserve and Premier competitions. A personal dream of mine, for a few years now, was to have her join me on the diamond for Auckland women, and compete alongside me for a starting position."
Kyla expects the family ties to softball to continue for many years to come.
Tyarn Bromhead-Lemalu Photo: Supplied
"We always have a bit of laugh that we're not sure what we'd do if we didn't do softball it's just been ingrained into our lives for so so long I think there would still be many years to come where we would have a wider family involvement quite close whether it be in our local club teams or whether be in regional teams.
"Me and both my sisters while our playing careers might be coming to the more seasoned side we're still very much been actively coaching or involved with other teams in a mentoring capacity as well. We like to give back... I think it is important for the game for women who have experience and knowledge to be able to make that available to anyone and everyone regardless of what club you play for or what grade you are playing in."
Fran Bromhead. Photo: Supplied
Kyla's national's experience will be different this year as she juggles playing multiple games in a day while looking after her four month old son.
"I'm a breastfeeding mother and trying to play sport but it's not my first rodeo doing it. I try and encourage that having babies doesn't need to stop you, having a career doesn't need to stop you the sport is very much a community sport as well so I know when I turn up at the park [on Thursday] and I have three games so I'll be there all day I'm going to have a lot of support whether it be from my own team or other competing teams I've made lifelong friends that if I need a pair of hands for my son there will be somebody there and that's something I've really grown to love with the sport."
The Bromhead's, who play club softball for Waitakere Bears, aren't the only players in the Auckland team with international experience with the side featuring 10 current or former White Sox.
However Kyla believes this year's National Fastpitch Championships will be one of the most evenly spread for depth of talent and emerging talent across the women's competition.
Members of the Bromhead family playing for New Zealand together, from left Kyla, Tyarn and Rebecca. Photo: Supplied/Bromhead family
"It could be anyone's year but of course my money is on us taking it home.
"Winning the national title is always the goal, and while we have conceded the last two years, a lot of fight from Auckland will take the diamond this year in chase.
"Youthful tenacity blended with some experience will make us a worthy competitor, and I would love to be boarding that plane home with some new accessories around the neck.
"Another team to watch when we're talking about former White Sox players would be Hawke's Bay who have managed to enter a team for the first time in a long time which is amazing for women's softball in that region it's riddled with ex-White Sox management, White Sox players this year will definitely be pretty tight right across."
Hawke's Bay's return to the nationals is an "indication that they've still got the player depth there where people may have thought it was done and dusted it is well and truly alive."
The National Fast Pitch Championships are being held 15-18 February at Rosedale Park, North Harbour with mens and womens competitions.
